Ahh. Marketing. People often forget (or sometimes they just don’t know) the value of working with copywriters and that copywriters are considered marketers, too. I imagine there are a plethora of copywriters who don’t realize they’re marketers as well - I also imagine those are new copywriters that don’t yet know the power of the typed word. I, too, didn’t know the power copywriting had when I first started out. However, copywriters can be considered marketers, as they are often responsible for creating content that is designed to promote a service, product, or brand. A copywriter can often work closely with a marketing team to create messaging that resonates with the brand’s target audience and drives engagement and sales.
Copywriters are often involved in various aspects of marketing, such as email marketing, content marketing, social media marketing, and advertising. Copywriters can create copy for a variety of channels, like websites, landing pages, emails, brand packaging, social media posts, ads, and so much more.
Copywriters need to have a solid understanding of marketing principles and strategies.
They need to be able to analyze data, identify trends, and understand how to optimize their copy to achieve specific marketing goals - not every copywriter knows this specialized skill or wants to learn for that matter, which is often a critical component of marketing campaigns. So when it comes to A/B split testing, I believe copywriters are among the best professionals to take on this analytical role. But first, what is A/B split testing?
A/B split testing is the process of testing different variations of an email to determine which one performs better. By creating two or more versions of an email and sending them to a small grouping of your email list, you can measure the response rate and determine which version is more effective. Once a version is more effective you can use the “winning” version and send it out to current subscribers, and then use that as a structure for not only other emails and campaigns but also to perform more split tests and ultimately find the best formats that are the most impactful.
A/B testing can help a brand optimize its email marketing campaigns and improve overall engagement and conversion rates.
There are said to be 21 factors in A/B testing that can be tested, such as different calls to action, subject lines, email copy, and the layout and design of the email, to name a few.
By analyzing the data collected from the A/B testing, you can make data-driven decisions on how to improve your email campaigns and ensure that you are sending the most effective message to your subscribers. Ultimately, this can lead to increased engagement, higher click-through rates, and more conversions for your business which is a win. I generally recommend split testing for businesses, and here’s why:
A/B testing improves conversion rates. While testing different versions of marketing campaigns or websites, businesses can find the version that generates the highest conversion rates. This means more sales, more leads, and more money.
Testing creates a better understanding of customer behavior. A/B split testing allows businesses to gain important insights into customer behavior and preferences. Tracking how customers interact with different versions of a campaign shows what resonates with audiences and can help copywriters, marketers, and businesses curate their specific messages to have more of an impact.
A/B testing enables businesses to test and validate changes before rolling them out to a wider audience and reduces the risk of blasting out emails that may fall flat. This decreases the risk of making a major change that negatively impacts conversions or revenue in the business.
Having the facts in real-time helps marketers and businesses with data-driven decision-making. Copywriting is a creative skill but it’s also driven by data - the needs and desires of consumers. A/B testing is based on data, not assumptions or opinions, or wishful thinking that something will work. By using data to make marketing decisions, businesses can make more informed choices and achieve better results.
Businesses that use A/B testing have an advantage over those that don't, because not everyone is doing it, and not everyone knows what it actually entails. By constantly testing and improving marketing campaigns, a business can stay ahead of the competition and continue to drive growth.
Generally, businesses, marketers, and even copywriters will use software such as Klaviyo or ActiveCampaign to test and analyze data, however, these are not the only software options at this time, they just happen to be among some of the cheapest options. Not sure how copywriters can use A/B testing to improve their copy? Well, here are some examples:
Copywriters can test different headlines. The headline also known as the subject line is usually the first thing that readers see, and it can make or break a piece of content. By testing different headlines, copywriters can identify the most effective subject line and use it to drive more clicks and engagement and get higher open rates which means the lower the chance your emails will go into the dreaded promotions tab.
A copywriter can test different calls to action. The call to action (CTA) is a crucial element of any piece of copy. It tells the reader what action to take next. By testing different CTAs, copywriters can determine which one generates the most conversions and optimize their copy accordingly.
They can also test different copy lengths. Depending on the audience and the platform, shorter or longer messages may be more effective. By testing different copy lengths, copywriters can identify the happy medium that generates the most engagement and conversions.
Copywriters are able to test different messaging. By testing different messaging as in different copy, copywriters can learn what resonates with their audience and tailor their copy accordingly. This can help improve overall engagement rates and conversions.
Should Copywriters be in Charge of A/B Split Testing?
Whether or not copywriters should be in charge of performing A/B split testing depends. Copywriters are marketers but not every copywriter knows how to use software that shows this data, or provides this service to clients.
In general, A/B split testing is an additional service that requires additional time and effort on the part of the copywriter, so it’s not a shock that not every copywriter does split testing and if they do, why the rate they charge for this service is subjective. You can check out my last blog about copywriting prices, where I shed some light on pricing and services.
Usually, a copywriter will chat with a business about how the testing process works if the business owner is not aware, assuming they offer this extra service, what the client can expect, and how the results will be used to improve the copy. If a copywriter doesn’t mention A/B testing in your discovery call, then I’d urge business owners to ask them, but if they’re not familiar with the process, hire an additional person who is to analyze the data.
Generally, A/B split testing will always have great value when it comes to a businesses’ marketing, and can help project future copy and the trajectory of how current and prospective clients engage and purchase.
If you’re interested in A/B split testing emails and/or website copy, reach out to me to chat about how I can help increase your engagement and revenue by creating copy and analyzing the data so your brand gets the best value in the shortest amount of time. Let’s work together!
